Four MLAs, Prajal Sakhardande, students block road to save the palm tree
MAPUSA
In a flashback to the memories of the famous Chipko movement of the 1970s, an organised resistance to save destruction of forests in India, heritage activist Prajal Sakhardande and four legislators hugged coconut trees along the Guirim-Mapusa highway to save it from destruction and appealed to the government not to go ahead and reduce the status of the coconut tree to that of grass.
The 'Save Coconut Chipko Satyagraha' protest movement led by Sakhardande’s Goa Heritage Action Group and ably supported by members of Goa’s Movement for Special Status, Goa Forgiving, Goan for Education, GenNext, Goa Su-raj party and the four MLAs held up traffic along the busy Guirim-Mapusa highway for almost an hour from 10 am on Monday.
Goa Heritage Action Group President Prajal Sakhardande hit out at the government for stooping to a level where they want to declassify the coconut tree.
“This government is anti-environment and anti-natural heritage. The government’s decision shows that there’s a nexus between the builder and the government. They are attacking all the aspects of natural heritage. Hills and trees are allowed to be cut and fields are being filled. This is how they are destroying our beautiful Goa,” an emotional Sakhardande said.
He said the protest will continue and spread to other parts of the State until this government rescinds its decision.
Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte said by declassifying the coconut tree, this government is diverting attention on the main issues.
“This government’s agenda is to take care of commercial interest. Under the Investment Promotion Board, they have taken up several investment projects. They have started destroying coconut trees in Sanguem, Cashew trees in Tiracol and mangroves in Vanxim Island.”
“All in all the target of this government is to clean Goa of all the green that we had. We are looking for afforestation and they are looking for deforestation,” he added.
Congress MLA from Curtorim, Aleixo Reginald Lourenco, condemned the government for taking anti-people steps leading Goa to an environmental abyss.
“This government will go to any length to destroy environment and Goa. Today it is the coconut tree. Tomorrow it will be the Tiger Reserve and the Tiger Corridor. At this rate this government is going to destroy Goa. I appeal to the Goans to wake up and support right thinking people and lovers of Goa like Prajal Sakhardande,” Lourenco said.
Fatorda MLA Vijay Sardesai disclosed that the independent MLAs have asked for half an hour discussion on this issue in the Assembly.
“We have told this government that the decision is against the Goans. They should rescind the decision or else we will take this movement to Sanguem where they want to destroy more than 800 coconut trees to set up a beer factory,” Sardesai said.
NCP’s senior secretary and spokesman Trajano D’Mello said by destroying coconut trees, this government has shown it has no scruples.
“This government is only playing with the emotions of the people and dividing the society. In the ensuing elections, Hindus, Muslims and Christians will get together and teach this government a royal lesson", D’Mello said.
The protesters dispersed only when Deputy Collector Pundalik Korjuvenkar and Mamlatdar Madhu Narvekar intervened and appealed to allow vehicular movement on the highway. Porvorim PI Brendan D’Souza was also present.
Bicholim MLA Naresh Sawal also spoke. Former union minister and senior Congressman Ramakant Khalap, Goa Su-Raj Party General Secretary Floriano Lobo, GenNext President Durgadas Kamat, Goa Forgiving President Armando Gonsalves apart from students of Dhempe College were also present at the symbolic protest.
